2015 Tsukkikage week
by Grace-Logan
Summary: As in the title, old fics from the 2015 Tsukkikage week
1. Chapter 1

A cold empty apartment, a lone window pushed open looking out on the courtyard below, a key rattled in the lock and the front door was slowly pushed open. As if the person opening it were afraid to enter the apartment.

The lights were off but the curtains pushed aside let in enough of the moonlight that the room lit up. Revealing the destruction, glass and ceramic shattered on the floor, wood splintered, books destroyed, a small vase normally filled with flowers lay crumbled in a million pieces across the room from its place.

Footsteps echoed down the short hallway and stop short in the doorway of the main room. Tsukishima looked around at the chaos they'd created, the absolute fucking mess they'd made and felt a sardonic smirk pull at his lips as his heart jumped into his throat. The mess they'd made of their life, at this point, he felt was reflected in the destruction below him.

He dropped his keys and a small plastic bag on the counter next to him and stepped over to their couch, glass crunching under his feet. He dropped onto the couch like all energy had been stolen from him and kicked off his shoes before he drew his feet up onto the couch with him and crossed his arms over his knees. He reached up, tore off his glasses and flung them across the room. He heard them shatter against the wall and he lowered his head onto his arms.

"Fuck."

He's not here.

#

The rhythmic pounding of his fists on the gym's punching bag was soothing. All his pent up energy, frustration, anger and fear were pounded into the bag as if it were the one who had called him king one too many times, as if it were the one that had told him he hated him, as if it were the one he'd told to 'get the fuck out and don't come back'.

Once again he felt tears prick in his eyes and a ball form in his throat as they had multiple times that night. He stopped and rested his head against the bag, breathing in through his nose and out through his mouth. Trying to hold back the tears as he had done so many times since he'd gotten there. A hand resting on his shoulder made him jump and spin quickly as the hand retracted and its owner held them up in surrender, presenting an unthreatening image despite his size.

"Hey kid. Are you alright?"

Kageyama looked at the floor and shook his head. No point lying if a stranger had noticed he wasn't ok.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Kageyama shook his head again. "It's none of your business, don't worry about it."

The stranger frowned down at him and huffed through his nose before he grabbed Kageyama's arm and dragged him over to the benches.

"I'm making it my business then. It's ok to unload on me, despite how I may look I am a wonderful giver of advice." He pushed Kageyama down onto the bench, sat down beside him and watched the other late night gym goer's spread out around the gym. This wasn't the first time some kid had come in here late at night to beat out his frustrations.

"What happened kid?" The stranger nudged Kageyama, he stayed silent and the stranger sighed.

"Relationship difficulties? Did you have a fight with your partner?" Kageyama looked away and the stranger whistled.

"Right on the money huh. First fight?" Kageyama clenched his fist.

"It's none of your business." Kageyama muttered. The stranger's hand was laid across his shoulders.

"Kid, you have no idea how often people like you come in here. Vent a little if you want to, I'm listening."

Kageyama froze up and pulled in a little gasp of air. "-We don't usually fight but…"

The stranger waited for him.

"Our families are causing problems for us. They call or show up and abuse us and it's stressing us both out along with finals and end of year assignments and we just snapped tonight. I can't even remember what started it but it got really out of hand. I told him not to come back." Kageyama held his head in hands, fighting the tears no longer worked. Slowly, they trickled down his face.

The stranger ruffled his hair, a warm gesture that shook Kageyama enough for him to stop crying for the moment. "How long have you two been together?" He asked.

Kageyama looked up at him for the first time that night. "Four years."

"Long time for someone so young kid. Do you really think he will leave now if he's lived with you through everything for the past four years?"

Kageyama was dumbstruck. He shot to his feet and quickly said goodbye before he ran out of the gym to the yell of the stranger telling him to wear gloves next time he was working the bag.

#

The door to their apartment was open when he arrived. No light shined from the inside and he felt despair rear its head to swallow him whole. Was he there? Did he just clear out his belongings and go? He never left the door unlocked let alone open.

Kageyama stepped inside and closed the door behind him quietly. He shuffled down the hall in silence and stopped in the doorway of the main room. Staring at him from the couch with wide sad eyes was Tsukishima, as if he couldn't believe Tobio had come back.

"Kei." Tobio choked out. Kei got to his feet as Tobio rushed him and wrapped his arms around him, pressing his forehead onto Kei's shoulder as he muttered apologies over and over again. He stopped when Kei's arms circled him and one of his hands dragged through his hair to calm him.

"It's alright Toby. I'm sorry to. I didn't mean what I said."

Tobio shook his head against Kei's shoulder. "It's my fault…" The ball was back, but this time there was no shoving it down. His voice cracked with his next words, gaining a high watery, weak tone. "I thought you weren't coming back."

Kei pulled him onto the couch and they shuffled into a comfortable cuddling position.

"I will never leave you Tobio. No matter what anyone says."

 _(End Note: Day 1 of 2015's Tsukkikage week)_


	2. Chapter 2

Kageyama held his head down as he walked back to class. Slipping through the crowd of students as fast and as inconspicuously as he could, hoping that he wouldn't be noticed. An arm slung over his shoulders and brought him to a stop, he tensed as his heart dropped into his feet and he turned his head to look at the asshole ringleader who had been tormenting him for the three months.

"No need to be so tense Tobio." He smirked and led Kageyama away from the crowd. Kageyama felt eyes on them, but he knew nobody would help him. Tochikawa was just that much of an asshole that nobody wanted to be near him apart from his posy, even to help a classmate. They didn't want the bullies attention shifted to them.

"Come and play with us Tobio, class is boring right? We can have a great time." Tochikawa crooned, his followers laughed and Kageyama frowned.

"I need to go to class. I'm behind as it is. I don't have the time to be skipping class."

Tochikawa's fingers tangled in his hair and he tugged hard at the soft strands. Kageyama let out a little yelp of pain and tried to back away but Tochikawa yanked him closer, fingers still entangled in Tobio's hair, and walked him over to the stairs leading to the roof.

"You've always got time for me Tobio. Now let's go have some fun."

#

Tsukishima's eyes bore holes in Kageyama's back as he watched that little shit head from 1-C drag his teammate away. The look on Kageyama's face sparking worry deep in his gut. How long had he been a target of that pathetic little weasel?

"Oi Tsukki, are you listening? We need to go to class." Yamaguchi bumped his arm and Tsukishima turned his head to look down at him. He raised his hands in a placating manner to sooth his friend before he glance back at Tochikawa and Kageyama as the former dragged Tobio to him by his hair.

"Yamaguchi, I'm probably going to skip class. Make up some excuse for me." He said and turned away.

"What? Tsukki?" Yamaguchi grabbed his arm, confusion written all over his face. "What do you mean you're 'probably going to skip class'?! Either you are or you aren't, pick one!"

"Why?" Tsukishima asked impatiently, throwing a glance back at Yamaguchi.

"Because I won't know what to say otherwise!"

Tsukishima sighed. Yamaguchi had a point. "Just tell her I went to sick bay and might be back later."

Yamaguchi nodded and released him. Tsukishima was gone before Yamaguchi could say another word, heading straight for the stairs Kageyama was being dragged up by the year level bully. Yamaguchi shrugged and went back to class; Tsukishima will do as he chooses.

#

Tsukishima slipped through the door and hid himself around the corner of the wall. Out of their sight but keeping them in his. They were easy to follow, not being the quietest people around, he barely had to worry about making too much noise as they jeered at his teammate and pushed him around, almost pushing him down the stairs once or twice.

By the time they got to the roof, Kageyama was a mess. He was jumpy and frightened and flinched away whenever someone came close enough to touch him, shaken by his very close near misses on the stairs. They laughed at him and spat abuse at him and he did nothing but stand there and take it. He was far too used to this to be bothered fighting back anymore. Tsukishima could see the resigned look in his eye and feared that he had something to do with that.

"Honestly Tobio, you used to be so much more fun. Now you're just pathetic, standing there and taking it like a bitch." Tochikawa was right in front of him, hand caressing Kageyama's cheek as he smirked. He drew back his hand and slapped Tobio as hard as he could.

Kageyama stumbled back and hit the roof railing. It creaked at him and rang in the hollow metal tubes, he stood straight again as the group laughed and chattered amongst themselves. Then came the suggestion that froze Kei's blood and tightened a clamp on his heart.

"Hey Tochikawa. We need a some more entertainment up here, what do you say to a bit of air time bitch?" They giggled together and Tochikawa's eyes lit up like he'd been given an early Christmas present.

"You're right Oojima. It's not like anyone would miss the bitch anyway. Right, bitch?" Tochikawa smiled at him. Kageyama didn't answer; he looked down at the floor beneath his feet and prayed they would just leave. Tochikawa clicked his tongue in annoyance and stalked forward, he hated being ignored.

He twisted his fingers in Kageyama's hair and yanked his head back, relishing the gasp of pain that escaped Tobio's lips. "Right bitch?" He called, yanking on Kageyama's hair again. Kageyama nodded and Tochikawa smirked, kneed him in the stomach, threw him to the ground and walked back to his place in the middle of the arch of bullies cornering Kageyama.

Kageyama struggled to breath on the ground, he pushed himself onto his knees and rested his head on his forearm as he couched and tried to work past the pain radiating from his abdomen. Tochikawa had not held back.

"Get up bitch!" Oojima snapped. "Time to learn how to fly." He crooned. Tsukishima felt rage coil in his gut, he wanted to help but he knew he couldn't beat all of them. He was bigger than all of them but he wasn't good at fighting. Down below Tsukishima heard the gym doors get slammed open as the P.E. class fled the oven they called a gym. The class was noisy.

Tochikawa stalked back to Kageyama and yanked him to his feet by his hair. "Look, you even have an audience bitch. Climb the railing." He ordered, shoving Kageyama at the fence. Kageyama looked down at the class and paled. It was a long way down.

"Tochikawa I-."

"Climb the fucking railing bitch! If you're lucky they'll catch you and you can take someone with you to the afterlife." Tochikawa pulled out a knife and held it to Kageyama's throat; he tensed but slowly began stepping up on to the bottom bar of the fence one foot at a time. Tsukishima stepped out from around the corner and ran for Kageyama, he called out to him drawing the group's attention to his presence as Tobio's feet planted themselves on the edge of the building.

Oojima and another one of the group stepped in his way and grabbed him.

"Tsukishima!"

"Get moving bitch." Tochikawa shoved Kageyama backwards, his foot slipped off the edge and he fell back.

"Kageyama!" That was not Tsukishima's voice. Tsukishima was too shell-shocked to speak as he watched Kageyama fall, but he moved. Tanaka's voice having broken his frozen state, his body moved faster than he'd ever moved before, his long legs ensured he reached the edge after only four steps and he vaulted the railing.

The tug of extra weight pulled Tsukishima away from the fence and his hand slipped. They both fell away from the edge; Tsukishima tightened his hold on Kageyama's arm and moved his body into a dive, high enough still to hook a leg around the bottom bar of the railing to hold them up.

Kageyama swung into the building and scrabbled for a handhold to relieve Kei of his weight. Below them people were screaming in horror. Tanaka was yelling up at them and classroom windows were shoved open to see what the commotion was about. "Kageyama! Tsukishima!" They were right above Sugawara's class, the door to the roof slammed shut.

Tsukishima let go when Kageyama nodded at him. He did so slowly; scared to let him fall should his grip fail. Kei quickly pulled himself back onto the roof and dragged Kageyama up and under the railing before he wrapped his arms around his shivering setter and hugged him tightly against his chest like he never wanted to let go.

Kageyama shook in his hold and sunk into his embrace, walking a thin line between panicked breathing and hyperventilating. He was crying, releasing soft gasps and sobs as he tried to control himself. Tsukishima rested his chin on Kageyama's head and didn't say a word. Just held him securely in his arms in silence until Tobio squeezed out an apology. Tsukishima squeezed him back.

"It's ok, it's not your fault." He said. "I won't let anything happen to you."

 _(End Note: Day 2 of 2015's Tsukkikage week)_


	3. Chapter 3

Kageyama's costume swirled about his legs every time he turned around to do something. The swishy inky blue skirt flaring out and revealing the baggy golden pants beneath. It was very distracting to say the least as your eyes just couldn't help but be drawn to the almost hypnotic swishing of the skirt. The golden crop top didn't help matters for Kei as it showed off Kageyama's athletic body in such an appealing way it made Kei want to touch him. Just run his hands over those abs and pecs and bury his face in them.

Kageyama had yet to slide the arm pieces of his costume on, 'they'd get in the way', he'd said when Tsukishima had asked. Kageyama hadn't even brought his mask to their rehearsal.

Tsukishima played with the cuffs on his black tailcoat as he watched Kageyama squat and pick up the volleyball net. They'd stayed behind on the premise of extra practice and Daichi had somewhat reluctantly left the keys with them, worried that they'd end up in an argument and beat the day lights out of each other like they had a couple months ago.

Things had been better between them since then. As if they'd reached some sort of understanding.

"Oi Tsukishima, don't just stand there and stare at me. Help." Kageyama snapped. Kei jumped and went to grab one of the support poles from the ground as Kageyama rushed into the store room with the net, returning empty handed and grabbing the last pole on the ground. Kei was thankful that it never took long to pack up their gear.

Kageyama went through some slow stretches as Tsukishima pulled his iPod dock out of his bag, climbed up onto the stage and plugged it into the back wall. He borrowed an extension cord from the cupboard behind the curtains so he could drag his dock out to the front of the stage. He didn't want the curtains to mess with the music.

"Kageyama, are you ready?" Kei called across the gym. Kageyama stopped touching his toes, stood straight and nodded.

"I'm ready."

Tsukishima turned the volume all the way up and pressed play. He hopped off the stage, the tails of his coat flying out behind him and ran to his position as Tobio fluidly paced through the intro choreography to a soft foreign song.

"Dancing bears, painted wings

Things I almost remember

And a song, someone sings

Once upon a December."

Tobio slowed to a stop before him, arms open and in position as Kei stepped up and wound an arm about his waist and shoulders and pulled him to his chest. They spun away quickly; careful not to fumble their foot work in such close quarters.

"Someone holds me safe and warm

Horses prance through a sliver storm.

Figures dancing gracefully,

Across my memories."

Tsukishima grabbed Kageyama's hands and they spun around at arm's length twice before Kei pulled him in and lifted him from his hips, spun once and placed him on the ground again. They joined hands and spun off in the fast steps of the Viennese waltz. Circling the court as much as they could in the small space. The dance was designed for their stage. To make use of all space they'd have in front of hundreds of spectators, family of other participants and agents looking to scout some young talent for their agency or school.

"Watch your footing Kageyama." Tsukishima muttered, feeling him tense as he misplaced his foot.

"It's fast at this spot, makes it hard to keep track of my feet and yours. We should slow the waltz down a bit in this part." Kageyama replied as Tsukishima spun him out with one hand and they continued to waltz.

"Someone holds me safe and warm

Horses prance through a silver storm

Figures dancing gracefully

Across my memories."

Tobio was drawn back in as they stopped and swayed on the spot before they swung around at arms' length and Kei stopped and spun him, letting go of his hand. Tobio performed two pique turns and leapt into the air, arms up and back arched in a stag leap. He landed softly, his feet barely making a sound on the court.

Kei was right there waiting for him. Arm out and taking his hand he spun Tobio again and they were off once more, waltzing around the gym.

"I'm getting a little dizzy from all this turning Tsukishima."

"Deal with it. We're almost done and we have more turns to go." Kei smirked as Tobio's face fell into despair. The setter was looking a little off and Kei admitted to himself that they should slow the waltz at the beginning a bit. If only to avoid falling on their asses in the middle of their performance because they were too dizzy to continue.

"Far away, long ago

Glowing dim as an ember

Things my heart used to know

Things it years to remember."

Tsukishima passed him off as if they had other dancers and turned to receive his own imaginary partner. They were slowing things down as the song came to a close, dancing as if they had partners, Tobio moving on as if being passed onto the next person and Kei as if he were passing off and receiving.

Tobio circled back to him and they stopped and bowed lightly. Just a small bend of the knee before they joined hands.

"And a song someone sings

Once upon a December."

They waltzed slowly, their footwork perfect. This would be the moment in the competition that the judges were looking to see how well they knew the steps. It's easy to miss a mistake when everyone is whirling about and the skirts are distracting the eye but as they dance slowly, come to a stop and Kei dips Tobio as the song comes to an end. That is when the judges will see just how good they are.

Kei looks into Tobio's eyes, his face is flushed and he has such a look of content on his face that Kei jolts and drops him. Kageyama hits the floor with a dull thud and glares up at Tsukishima once his vision clears.

"What the fuck Tsukishima! I swear to god if you drop me during the performance I'm going to rip your balls off." Tobio growls. Kei looks mildly frightened, like he's wondering if Tobio is as serious as he sounds because he sounds dead serious and Kei feels a twinge in his balls as the scene forms in his mind.

"I'd rather you didn't."

"I will."

Kei sighs and hauls Tobio to his feet. "Do you still feel dizzy?" Tsukishima hasn't yet let go of Kageyama's arms and when he does go to release them Tobio sways where he stands. Kei grabs him, walks him over to the benches and pushes him down.

"We'll rest for a bit before trying it again."

(End Note: Day 3 of 2015's Tsukkikage week)


	4. Chapter 4

"Aha~ there he is!" Tsukishima crooned, a smirk twisting his mouth and narrowing his eyes. Kageyama looked up at him and frowned.

"Tsukishima?... For tonight, can you please leave me alone?" He asked. He sounded tired and defeated, his shoulders were slumped and his brow creased. Tsukishima ignored him and surged forward, getting right up in Kageyama's space.

"What's that king? I couldn't hear your orders properly?" Tsukishima leered at him. He blamed his hands being in his pockets for not being able to react in time as Kageyama twisted his shirt collar in his hands and yanked him down to his level.

"I SAID LEAVE ME ALONE! STOP ALL THE KING BULLSHIT ALREADY…" Kageyama's grip waned and he looked away. Tsukishima had caught the tears gathering in his eyes however, and he couldn't miss them rolling down the king's cheeks.

"Please Tsukishima." He muttered. "Just stop."

Kageyama let go and stepped away. They stood in silence, Kageyama didn't look at Tsukishima and Tsukishima didn't say a word nor grunt in reply. Kageyama shook his head, wiped at his tears, took two steps back, turned and ran away from him.

"Kageyama!" Tsukishima made as if to go after him but stopped. Kageyama had already disappeared from view and Kei had no idea where he was going.

#

Kageyama didn't show up at practice the next day. He wasn't in classes and hadn't contacted anybody. Tsukishima felt a little bit responsible but he didn't show it, and didn't acknowledge it and scoffed every time someone brought up checking on their wayward setter.

'He'll be here tomorrow.' He'd said…

Only he wasn't. And still, nobody had heard a word from him.

On third day of his absence Daichi sent Hinata to check on him. Hinata didn't even get through the front door of his house. Nobody had answered, it didn't even look like someone had been home recently. The house had been silent as the grave.

Tsukishima admitted to feeling a small inkling of guilt and later that night, he spoke to Yamaguchi.

#

"Nah Tsukki, what do you think about Kageyama disappearing?" Yamaguchi asked, startling Tsukishima from his homework. They didn't usually make small talk when they studied. Yamaguchi seemed concerned though…

Tsukishima didn't look up from his page; he glanced over his answers as he replied.

"He'll be back eventually."

Yamaguchi had hummed at him. He could feel the burn of Yamaguchi's stare scorching holes through his skull but he didn't look up from his page, reading and rereading his answers to make sure they were all correct.

"You wouldn't happen to have anything to do with that would you?"

"No." Tsukishima flipped back a page in his notebook and checked the answers of last night's homework. Just to remind himself of what they were doing.

"Tsukki, you're doing it again."

"Shut up Yamaguchi, I'm trying to study."

"Sorry Tsukki, but don't lie to me. What did you do?"

Tsukishima slapped a hand down on his book and glared at Yamaguchi who barely reacted more than a slightly startled blink.

"I called him king once and he burst into tears!"

"Tsukki! It is your fault, you have to fix this!"

"How could I have known he would cry and run away?!"

#

Yamaguchi got to school earlier than he did the next day. Daichi stared him down like a piece of meat for afternoon practice and was twice as hard on him in training and behavioural reprimands. At the end of practice Daichi pulled him aside and told him to go see Kageyama or don't come back to practice.

Tsukishima huffed but when Daichi glared at him he nodded and wholeheartedly agreed to do his bidding. It had nothing to do with the growing toxic ball of regret, guilt and concern inside his chest.

#

Tsukishima stood on Kageyama's doorstep, debating on whether or not he was actually going to try or just tell Daichi that he'd showed up but nobody opened the door. Just as he was leaning towards a half-truth he had the sudden realization that Yamaguchi would know he was lying and would definitely dob him in to Daichi.

He sighed, stepped up and knocked on the door and waited, and waited, and waited. He scowled at the door as if it had personally offended him and jabbed the doorbell instead three times in quick succession and waited, and waited, and waited, and turned and stomped off the step just before a loud crash came from the houses second floor.

Tsukishima spun back, stepped forward and hammered the door with his fist.

"Kageyama!" _Bang! Bang! Bang!_

"Kageyama!" _Bang! Bang! Bang!_

"Kageyama!" _Bang! Bang!_

Tsukishima rested his fist on the door and sneered down at his feet. He could not fathom why he was still there. If Kageyama wanted to ignore him and chuck a tantrum and destroy things then fine, let him. It'll be no skin off his nose…

He cursed himself as he reached for the door handle. He gave it a jiggle and pushed the door open, pausing in concern. How long had the door been unlocked? Had someone broken in? What had crashed up-stairs earlier?

Kei took a moment to look around at the clinical cold home that Kageyama resided in. It looked like a house from a magazine, prim and proper, perfect in every way except that one factor that crept Kei out. It didn't feel like a home, it didn't look lived in.

He brushed away his thoughts and quietly made his way upstairs, wary of any potential thugs that might have broken in. It would explain the unlocked door. Tsukishima paused on the landing and waited and when nobody jumped out at him with a knife or a bat or a gun he relaxed and looked around.

"Kageyama." He called, approaching the only open door on the second floor with light flooding the hallway. He stopped, mentally prepared himself, and pushed the door open. From what he could see when he was approaching part of the room was in disarray. The rest of it wasn't much better.

Torn up paper littered the floor along with a shattered picture frame and shards of a cup with blood on them. Tobio sat against his bed, knees up at his chest and face hidden behind them. One arm crossed over the top of his knees holding them in place as his other hand, clenched in a fist, dribbled blood on to the floorboards. His body shook and sobs wrenched themselves from Tobio's throat and Kei stood there in the doorway and watched.

"Kageyama." He muttered in shock. Kageyama's head shot up and he glared at Kei as if he were the most disgusting thing he'd ever laid eyes on.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, voice low and trembling as he cried. Kei didn't answer him, he stood in place, didn't move, didn't make a sound and Kageyama tensed up and sobbed.

"WHAT DO YOU WANT TSUKISHIMA? WHY ARE YOU HERE?" Kageyama pushed himself to his feet and stomped over the mess without even flinching when little flakes of glass embedded themselves in his foot. He shoved Kei out of his room and twice more down hall before he cringed, wiped his eyes and yelled at him again.

"GET OUT! TSUKISHIMA, GET OUT!" He beat at Kei's chest in a flurry of fists as Tsukishima raised his arms to protect himself. Kageyama was not weak.

"Kageyama stop." He wasn't listening, he backed Tsukishima up the hall, shoving him and hitting him and crying. Kei was at a loss; he had never seen such an emotional outburst except in TV shows. It frightened him as much as it made him worry, someone was going to get hurt if this continued and Kei had a feeling that it wouldn't be him.

"Kageyama… Kageyama calm down!" Tsukishima grabbed one of Tobio's flailing arms and held it still in a vice grip. Kageyama tried to tug it away but quickly gave up and went back to screaming at him and whacking him with his opposite hand.

"LEAVE!" Tsukishima jerked Kageyama to a stop, both the setters' thin wrists in his grasp. Tobio stopped and let his arms be dragged up above his head. He stopped yelling and struggling and just stood and cried, muttering small demands for Kei to leave when he could form the words.

Tsukishima sighed and dropped Kageyama's arms, quickly pulling his king into a hug and trapping his arms at his sides.

"It's alright now.." Kei paused before he let 'king' slip from his lips again. Kageyama didn't sound right or feel right coming from him, and especially not in this situation. "It's alright Tobio."

Kageyama sagged against him. His head dropped onto Kei's shoulder and his body leaned into Kei's, fitting snug against him and rocking him back against a wall. At least he wouldn't have to stand for both of them.

When he was sure Kageyama wasn't about to start hitting him again he ran his fingers soothingly through Tobio's soft hair like his own mother did when he was upset and placed a kiss on the top of Tobio's head. He ignored his embarrassment though he had no doubt that Kageyama could hear how his heart rate picked up. But it seemed to work, Tobio wasn't shaking so much and his sobs were getting softer as he calmed down.

"I'm sorry Tobio. I shouldn't have said what I did after you asked me not to." Tsukishima muttered into Tobio's hair.

"It's fine. It's just been a bad week." Tobio mumbled into Kei's chest. Kei kissed the top of Tobio's head again, trying to convey his apology in a deeper way. In turn, Tobio wrapped his arms around Kei's middle and he knew all was forgiven.

Kei let them stay like that in the hallway until he spotted the blood patches on the floor following where Kageyama had placed his feet when he'd tried to chase Tsukishima away. He pulled away suddenly and demanded to know where the first aid kit was as he forced Kageyama to sit down on the floor and stretch out his legs to take the pressure off his feet. Tobio pointed to a door and said it was under the sink and Kei rushed away into a bathroom, tore open the sink cupboard and snatched the first aid kit from its shelf before he ran back, dumped it on the ground beside Tobio's feet and flipped it open.

He took one look at the little lacerations in Tobio's foot and sternly informed him that he would not be walking for a few days and there would definitely be no volleyball until his feet were healed. Kageyama opened his mouth to protest but cut himself off with a yelp as he clenched his bleeding fist and Tsukishima pulled out one of the larger shards of glass from his feet.

"Ah, sorry. I got blood on your shirt." Kageyama said, trying to distract himself with anything from the pain of having someone pull tiny pieces of glass from his feet with tweezers.

"You'll just have to buy me a new one then won't you?" Tsukishima replied, dead serious as he carefully pinched another piece of glass and yanked it out. Tobio made a discomforting noise, whether it was about buying Kei a new shirt or the glass sliding out of his foot Kei didn't know but it made him smile none the less.

"Also, you have to talk to Daichi tomorrow."

 _(End Note: Day 4 of 2015's Tsukkikage week)_


	5. Chapter 5

Tsukishima awoke to a door scraping on the floorboards and light taps leading down the hall outside the clubs room. He sighed and rolled over, felt around for his phone and checked the time. If it was before 6am whoever just left the room was going to be the victim of his wrath.

His screen glowed bright in the darkness and he squinted against the light as it burned his pupils and made his eyes sting.

5:43am… He moaned, he wasn't going back to sleep after this. There was no point when he'd just be getting up for their morning run soon anyway. Tsukishima dropped his phone face down on the floorboards beside his futon, grabbed his glasses and slid them on and quietly slunk out of the room, careful not to wake anyone. God forbid he had to deal with his rambunctious teammates before he absolutely had to.

Despite knowing that breakfast now would only come up later, he found himself walking to the kitchen. Following the sounds of whomever had left the room before him as they slapped a glass on the bench, swung a cupboard door shut, wrenched open the fridge and slammed it closed before they scraped a chair across the floor and fell silent just as Tsukishima turned into the room.

"Kageyama? What are you doing up?" Tsukishima asked, trying to look as unconcerned as possible as he walked past and quietly set about getting his own glass of water without all the bangs and clinks of glass being roughly handled.

Kageyama didn't look up at him; he barely even reacted to Tsukishima saying anything. He had his arms crossed on the table, his head resting on top of them and one hand around his glass.

"Couldn't sleep." He muttered into the table.

Tsukishima walked over and placed his glass gently on the table before he pulled out the chair across from Kageyama, sat down and stared at him.

"What was that your highness, I couldn't quiet hear you?" Tsukishima ignored the way Tobio's shoulders stiffened.

"Go away Tsukishima." Kageyama snapped. He sounded tired though, as if he hadn't slept well or at all.

"Hoh~ is our king throwing a temper tantrum this morning? Not enough sleep for our little tyrant?" Somewhere in the back of his mind Tsukishima realized he'd taken it too far with just those two sentences, that part was dutifully ignored as Kageyama jumped up, pushing his water over, and slammed his hands on the table top.

"Fuck off if you're just gonna be an asshole Tsukishima." Kageyama seethed, keeping his voice low so he didn't wake anyone. Tsukishima glanced down at the water approaching him from across the table and frowned at it.

"Ah ah~ you spilled water all over the table Tobio. Are you going to make one of your subjects clean it up for you or are you going to go grab a towel or two?" Kei replied. He took a sip of his own water still watching Tobio's as it crept closer to the edge of the table. He still didn't look up as Kageyama's chair was shoved back and he stomped off into the kitchen, returning in the same manner with two towels in his hand. He threw them on the table, one on Kei's side and one down in front of him.

Tsukishima looked up at him with an eyebrow raised. Did Kageyama expect him to help with his mess? He watched Kageyama dab at the water on his side, swift and hard, his scowl could have evaporated the water in an instant if he stared hard enough.

In under a minute Kageyama's towel was soaked and no longer useful. They were thin, rough towels, not really useful for anything aside from drying your hands once every ten or so hours. He dumped it in the middle of the table and walked around to Kei's side, grabbed the dry towel and bent over right in front of Kei.

Kei stared in shock at Kageyama's exposed neck pushed right in his face. He smelt nice, like something fruity and sweet. He took deeper breaths as he sat there but in no time at all Kageyama was leaning back, hands full of wet towel and stomping off into the kitchen. He'd left his glass over turned on the table and didn't return.

Tsukishima slowly finished his water at the table, alone. He glanced at the microwave clock and mentally groaned. It was 6:15, he had fifteen minutes to fix what he'd done to Kageyama this morning or Daichi might actually bury him alive if their teamwork got any worse.

He placed is glass in the sink, looked around and found Kageyama standing on the veranda, leaning against the railing as he stared off into space. A draft came from the partially open door in the kitchen and Kei had half a mind to just close it and go back to their room, leave things as they were and move on, forget that cold hole slowly getting bigger in his chest. A push at the back of his mind was growing stronger, shoving him to the door, pushing him outside into the snappy morning air.

He leaned against the railing next to Kageyama and nudged him with his shoulder. He looked at the ground when Tobio looked at him. He missed the surprise and hurt flashing across his setters face.

"I'm sorry. About before, I didn't mean it."

Birds sang chirpily in the trees around them but Tobio didn't say a word.

"Well. Say something." Kei demanded. Kageyama looked back up at the sky and sighed.

"Say what Tsukishima?" He said. "That I forgive you? I don't. Every time you say it, it hurts. It feels like you're stomping on my chest, it's suffocating." Kageyama was clutching at his chest, head down and eyes closed. "It's painful. I'm trying so hard to change. To not be like I was back then because I'm terrified that everything will fall apart like it did back in middle school. I have nightmares about you all leaving me like they did Tsukishima."

The fact that Kageyama wasn't yelling at him or mumbling, just speaking in an even voice filled to the brim with hurt, made Kei's heart feel like stone. Heavy and cold in his chest. He rubbed at his heart in discomfort.

"Is that why you left this morning? You had a nightmare." Kei saw Tobio nod out the corner of his eye and that stone cracked right down the middle.

"Yeah. I was awake about an hour before that anyway so it's not like it really matters. I'm just lucky I got to sleep tonight." Kei turned and looked at him then. Really looked. He didn't like what he saw. Kageyama had bags under his eyes, deep purple ones. His eyes drooped and he looked pale and unstable, like he'd fall over at any second.

He looked tired.

"Are you alright?"

"I'll be fine. It's only been two days since I last slept."

Instantly, every single thing that the team had done in the last two days on this training camp came back to him and he felt an immense exhaustion wash over him. The training had been brutal and Kageyama had stayed behind for extra practice with the shrimp and then for himself after Hinata got tired.

"You need to go back to bed Ki.. Tobio. Now."

Kageyama jolted at his given name but shook his head at Kei's order. "I'll be fine. I can last for today. I might not sleep even if I do go back to bed. I'll just lay there and think."

Kei reached up and ruffled Tobio's hair, shaking his head side to side as he mussed the neat locks. Tobio slapped his hands away, stepped back and scowled at Kei. Confused and wary. Tsukishima wasn't warm or friendly or affectionate… ever.

"Tobio, they were your past. We are your future."

Tobio's shoulders lifted as his expression jumped into shock with a little bit a relief sparkling in his eyes. It looked as if the weight of the world had suddenly lifted from his shoulders and he smiled. It was small but Kei thought it was cute. Adorable. He'd never admit to any but himself though… and maybe Kageyama, one day.

Thumps echoed out from the inn they were staying at as Karasuno trudged into the kitchen. Some slow, still weary from sleep and others bouncing in, bright eyed and bushy tailed and far too obnoxious for 6:30 in the morning. Outside Tsukishima and Kageyama heard Ukai yelling at the team to shut up and make breakfast so they wouldn't wake Seijoh and 'whose cup is this?' Karasuno quickly shut their mouths; nobody wanted to deal with Oikawa this early in the morning. They'd already had that experience yesterday it was hell. Nobody owned up to the cup.

Without a word they both moved for the door. Kageyama pushed it open; already receiving greetings from the more lively or polite teammates before he'd even entered the room properly. Tsukishima swung the door shut behind them and watched everyone wince as it slammed and shook the windows beside it with a joyous smirk that dropped when Kageyama stumbled and began to fall.

He slumped like a rag doll over Kei's arms. He'd caught Tobio before he'd even had the chance to hit the ground. The team was stumped but quickly snapped out of it when Kei lowered Tobio gently to the floor, and descended like a pack of crows on raw meat, his name on all their lips as Kei laid Tobio's head in his lap.

He was dead asleep. He looked tired but peaceful and if Kei glared holes into the skulls of those who tried to wake him well Tobio didn't need to know just yet. Nor did he need to know that Kei carried him back to his futon and tucked him in. So nobody tell him. ^_^

 _(End Note: Day 5 of 2015's Tsukkikage week)_


	6. Chapter 6

"Damn it Tobio! Why can't you ever do anything right?!"

The shrill screech made Tobio flinch against the wall he was being backed up into, his mother approaching with rage drawn across her face and a thick ceramic vase in a hand that she'd picked up her way towards him.

"I'm sorry."

"That's not good enough. You're not good enough! It's no wonder your father left if he had such a pathetic failure as a son." She scathed. Tobio averted his eyes and apologised again, playing the submissive role up as much as possible in the hopes that she would leave him alone for the night without getting too violent, the hope that she wouldn't hit him with the vase she was carrying with the obvious intent to do so.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." She mimicked mockingly, stopping in front of him and leaning down so her mouth was right by his ear. "You'll never be able to make it better you dumb cunt. You're apologies mean as much as you do. Nothing." She murmured in his ear.

She pulled back with a smirk as Tobio bit his bottom lip and swallowed back the urge to cry. She slapped him once around the head and laughed.

"Pathetic. That's what you are. A pathetic, worthless little brat."

"I'm sorry."

His mother paused for a second, and then slapped him again. Harder. Hard enough to make the world blur before she placed a hand on his chest and shoved him into the wall.

"All you can fucking do now is apologise for your fuck ups! I can't believe I wasted sixteen years of my life on you! It's all your fault you dirty little guttersnipe!"

She raised the vase and slammed it into the side of Tobio's head. It shattered as he went down, banging his cheekbone on a decorative statue and biting his tongue after the crack was followed by waves of reverberating agony. He tasted blood in his mouth and jerked as the pointed toe of his mother's stilettos shoved into his abdomen.

He gasped and curled in on himself, closing his eyes and tensing in anticipation of another blow but her feet moved away from him instead. He cracked open an eye and circled an arm around him middle as he looked around for his mother. She stared at him from across the room, considering him as if she'd seen him in a new light. Her eyes were dead as she searched him. Eyes roaming up and down as he shakily got to his feet with the support of the wall.

He was dizzy, his head was throbbing like someone had been beating it like a drum and his cheek bone was a hub of lightning quick excruciating stings and pulsing agony. His stomach ached but it was dull compared to that of his face, in saying that though the pain was sharp and made it hard for him to draw breath as shock settled in with a fight to jolt his lungs into hyperventilating.

"Get out."

Tobio's head shot up and he stared into her blank uninterested gaze.

"Huh?"

"I said get out. I don't want you here in my house. Leave."

"What- Mum I."

"GET OUT YOU DUMB LITTLE PRICK! I NEVER WANTED YOU IN THE FIRST PLACE, YOU'VE FUCKED UP MY LIFE FOR LONG ENOUGH BOY! I DON'T WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN YOU HEAR!" She reached back and grabbed a glass bowl off the kitchen bench. Her knuckles turned white from the force of her hold as she drew back her arm and threw it across the room. Tobio ducked as it shattered above his head and rained shards down his shirt and over his head.

He spun around the corner and ran for the front door. He didn't stop to grab a coat nor slip his shoes on his feet, he flung the door open, rushed out and slammed it behind him. Running as fast as he could from the place he'd called home, out into the snow whirling around him with the crazy energy of a building storm.

He felt numb. Internally as well as physically as he slowed to a walked and then stopped, leaned against the closest fence and doubled over. The soles of his feet stung where rocks poked into his flesh, his stomach still ached though the biting cold dulled his nerves to a manageable level. It didn't stop his head from throbbing though, nor did it relieve him of the dizziness. The world did back flips around him, snow swirled, a light passed over him and he was face to face with the snow-covered sidewalk before he even knew he was falling.

#

Warm hands dragged him up out of the snow. A voice was asking questions 'are you alright?' he'd been lying face down in the snow in nothing more than shorts and a t-shirt, he reckoned his head was bleeding from the vase and there was probably blood on the snow where he'd been laying... Yeah, he was fine.

Tobio didn't manage to get the words out though. Whoever had found him had lifted him up and was taking him somewhere and vaguely Tobio realised that this may not be a saviour but something more sinister all together. The person called out for someone and was banging on what Tobio assumed was a door of some sort that was swung open in haste and allowed to bounce off a wall.

"Oh dear god! Quickly Akiteru inside, inside. Put him on the couch and put the kettle on."

Light footsteps bustled off and Tobio entered a warm place, was put down on a couch so squishy and comfortable he thought he may fall unconscious regardless of how dangerous he knew that to be and heavy footsteps rushed off as the light ones hurried into the room.

They flurried around at his head, a soft whoomp signalled something of the blanket variety had been dropped on the floor followed by a clack as something hard and weighty was placed somewhere close by. Probably on a table.

The woman tutted concernedly as she turned his head from side to side, assessing the damage before her warm papery hand disappeared and a clasp was undone. Tobio couldn't hear a squeak of old hinges over the squealing of the kettle slowly picking up steam, getting louder and higher pitched and more determined to pierce into his skull like a drill bit made of fire ants and covered in acid.

He moaned and flopped a hand up to his head.

"Oh! Are you awake?"

"…"

She grabbed one of his hands and linked her fingers with his.

"Squeeze if you're awake dear." She said. Tobio squeezed and her grip tightened.

"Squeeze once for yes twice for no, ok?"

One squeeze.

"Are you homeless?" She asked. Two squeezes and Tobio paused. Was he homeless? He was kicked out but would he really not be allowed to go back? He squeezed once before she had a chance to ask another question.

"Hmm, unsure are you? That's ok; you can stay here for now. Were you kicked out?"

One squeeze.

"Did the person who kicked you out do this to you?"

…

No squeeze. The woman sighed but didn't drop his hand.

"It's alright. Your head must hurt, is anywhere else in pain?"

One squeeze. The woman placed a hand on his leg.

"Does here hurt?"

Two squeezes. She placed a hand on his stomach as the kettle finally stopped whistling.

"Does here hurt?"

One squeeze.

"Anywhere else?"

Two squeezes.

"Alright, I'm going to tend to your injuries. Do not fall asleep, try your best to open your eyes and I'll have Akiteru bring you some tea."

Two squeezes in quick succession, he couldn't stop himself at the mention of that detestable beverage.

"What is it dear, I have to treat your injuries!"

One squeeze. The woman stayed silent for a pause.

"You're not allowed to fall asleep." She said sternly.

One squeeze.

"You don't like tea?"

…

No squeeze. The woman laughed, high and bright.

"That's fine dear, I'll have Akiteru make you some hot chocolate then ok?"

…

No squeeze. The woman's hands disappeared and his own heavy limb dropped to his side. The woman rummaged through the box beside her, undoubtedly a first aid kit, for the supplies she'd need to take care of him.

"Akiteru, a hot chocolate for our guest please dear."

"Alright."

The clicks of cups and spoons from the kitchen were the loudest noise in the house after that. The heavy footsteps, Akiteru no doubt, re-entered the room and set down three cups on a wooden surface and stepped away.

"I'm gonna go give this to Kei. Did he come around?" Akiteru asked.

 _Kei?!_

"He's not unconscious. He's just exhausted. Poor baby, somebody threw him out into that storm-"

"Tsukishima?"

"Oh, he knows us."

"Maybe he knows Kei, he looks about his age."

"Go and call him down then Akiteru. It'd be better having someone he knows around."

"Right, I'll go and get him." Akiteru placed Kei's cup back on the table and walked out of the room, his footsteps sounding significantly less rushed with the knowledge that the kid he'd picked up was relatively ok… considering things.

The woman, Tsukishima-san, continued on with tending his wounds. She cleaned the gash on his forehead, walked off and when she came back she spread some kind of cold gel on the cut before she pinched it, waited, ran a finger over it and then carefully placed a bandage over it.

Tobio had flinched every time his head had been touched. The wound was tender and unpleasant, it still throbbed and he knew he probably had a concussion and tomorrow he would have a raging headache but he hoped by then that some of the pain would have ebbed away overnight.

Then she prodded his cheek and he couldn't help the yelp that escaped him as he jumped away from her hand and his eyes fluttered open. His vision was blurry and the lights felt a little too bright but the world was no longer spinning and for that he was grateful. Two sets of footsteps entered the room and one stopped short as the heavy ones continued until their owner was in his view.

That must have been Akiteru. He looked like Kei. Blonde hair, a bit duller than his brothers but the same golden eyes though they were much warmer than Kei's.

"King!" Kei sounded shocked. His voice was its normal low dry timbre but laced with slight disbelief as he walked around the couch and got a good look at Kageyama's face. "What on earth happened to you?"

"None of your business." Tobio looked away, off towards Akiteru so he missed the irritated twitching of Kei's eyebrows. Akiteru's coy smile playing on his lips behind a steaming mug said he saw it.

"Now, now boys, no need for hostilities right now. Right Kei. Let's just sit down, get you all better again and we can talk about this later ok?" Tsukishima-san smiled at them. Kei nodded, passed in front of Tobio and sat down beside him as Akiteru passed him a mug of tea. Kei accepted it without a word and sipped at it in silence as his mother continued the prodding of Tobio's cheek as he tried to avoid her light fingers.

"Hold still a moment… What's your name honey?" Tsukishima-san asked, holding his face still by his chin.

"K-Kageyama Tobio."

Tsukishima-san paused and looked him right in the eye with a steely gaze.

"Kageyama Tobio. I've heard of you."

Tobio stiffened, that tone… What had Kei been saying about him? With that tone he half expected the woman to throw him out in the next few moments.

"Your father is Kageyama Gakushuu correct?" She asked. Tobio nodded slowly and shallowly.

"He's a cold man. Poor boy, to be stuck with a man like that. And your mother by god! I met the women once." Tsukishima-san shuddered as she let go of him and grabbed the antiseptic and some cotton balls. Tobio knew what she meant. His mother was… something else. But his father.

"He wasn't always like that." Tobio muttered. He remembered a time when his father had smiled at him, handed him a volleyball telling of how much he'd loved to play in his youth and how he regretted not following on with it. He always said he never regretted becoming a doctor though, just that he'd stopped playing.

Tsukishima-san hummed but didn't reply as she leant forward and dabbed a cotton ball soaked in antiseptic on the graze adorning his cheek. He flinched back but she followed him, dabbing away until all the blood was soaked up and the wound was suitably sterilized. She softly spread another plaster over another cut and lifted his shirt before examining his stomach. It was then he realised that he shivering, freezing in the warm house that had taken him in. The bottom of his feat ached and he was so cold…

Tsukishima-san dropped his shirt and Kei shoved a mug of hot chocolate into his hands, still lightly steaming despite how long it had been sitting on the table. Tsukishima-san got to her feet, packed up the first aid kit and shoved it to the other side of the table before she picked up a blanket and, Tobio isn't sure how, wrapped it around him.

"You drink that and warm up a bit. I'll go run you a bath and find you some clothes. Ah! I threw out the extra futon. Well I'm sure you can just share with Kei. Right Kei?" Tsukishima-san stared at Kei. He didn't meet her eyes.

"Yes mum."

"Good boy Kei. Such a good, welcoming friend." She said and bustled off to complete her self-assigned assignments as Kei sighed and clicked his tongue. She was teasing him for being so unfriendly before.

The three of them sat in silence until they heard the bath running and Tobio took a sip of his hot chocolate.

"Ah, you put chilli powder in this." He said. In the corner of his eye he saw Akiteru stiffen and take a nervous sip of his tea.

"It's good for warming up." Tobio said, and let the matter drop. They sat in an awkward silence, sipping at their drinks until Tobio couldn't take it anymore and turned to Kei. "You never told us you had a brother?"

"And you never told us you're being abused by your parents, so I guess we were both hiding something."

"KEI!" Akiteru was horrified. Tobio was dumbstruck. He had no idea how to react to that. Anger wasn't coming; Kei's tone didn't lick at his short temper like it usually did when Kei bit at him.

"What is wrong with your head? You can't just say something like that. Apologise to Tobio-kun! I'm so sorry for his behaviour Tobio-kun, please forgive him." Akiteru had slapped his cup down on the table and jumped up and bowed deeply in Tobio's direction.

Kei stayed silent.

"Ah~, it's fine Akiteru-san. I don't think he said it to be mean… at least, it didn't sound like he meant it that way."

Kei was pointedly looking at the bottom of his cup. Ignoring the both of them as Akiteru insisted that Kei's words were inexcusable and Tobio tried to placate him.

"Would you look at that, I'm out of tea." Kei just about fled to the kitchen to get away from them. He was kicking himself over his own choice of words but he couldn't help himself. They'd just spilled out before he could stop them.

Akiteru didn't shut up until their mother came back down stairs to tell Tobio that the bath was ready for him and there was a change of clothes as well as a towel. By that point though Tobio had long since given up on trying stop Akiteru from fumbling over apology after apology and had resorted to ignoring him and drinking his hot chocolate.

He placed his empty cup on the table and limped off upstairs, following Tsukishima-san to the bathroom. Kei snuck around Akiteru and slunk upstairs to his room before he was subject to yet another lecture on his demeanour towards other people.

#

Tobio took his time in the bathroom. Whether that was because his injuries were slowing him down or he was just taking his sweet ass time relaxing was questionable. Kei was getting slightly worried that the setter had fallen asleep and drowned. He wanted to go to bed but if Tobio came into his room and found him already asleep he had no doubt that he would go back down stairs and sleep on the couch.

Whilst he didn't have a problem with not sharing his bed, Tobio was injured so a couch wasn't the best place for him to be sleeping. And his mother had told him Tobio was sleeping with him, so Tobio was sleeping with him. It would also allow him to make sure Tobio didn't die in his sleep from head trauma, though he probably shouldn't be sleeping for a few more hours anyway.

When he did finally emerge from the bathroom, followed by a tumble of fog, he was clean, dry, and warm and dressed in Kei's too big clothes and suddenly, Kei was thankful he was wearing some too big clothes as well. He knew he was gay, or at least Bi, he wasn't too sure yet. He also knew that Kageyama was very attractive. Cute even, he had a cute face when he wasn't scowling and when he was scowling he was handsome. Any other expression made him look like a puppy.

Kei didn't want to go to bed anymore. Maybe in a bit of time, give it time… His mother shut his bedroom door behind Tobio and they stared at each other in silence until Kei found it safe to move. He walked over to his bed and sat on the end.

"Do you want to tell me what happened?" He asked. Tobio looked uncertain, conflicted and a little desperate at the thought. Would it help if he told someone else? It didn't help the first time…

Tobio walked over to the bed and stood awkwardly in front of Kei. He gestured for Tobio to join him and waited for him to settle on the bed next to him. Tobio had his hands in his lap; he twisted his fingers and cracked his knuckles before settling on scraping the top of his nails with the thumbnail on the opposite hand. A nervous tick Kei had seen many times at Karasuno. He only just realised what it meant.

"You don't have to tell us, but we can help. Mum's a nurse and dad's a lawyer, if you need help they'd never reject you."

They sat in silence. Kei didn't say anymore, waiting for Tobio to speak his mind if he chose to do so.

"My mother did it…" Tobio murmured. Kei thought of his own mother, scary, intimidating, caring, loving, sometimes overbearingly so, and felt sad. Not everybody had that. Not everybody had parents who loved them like his did. He was a hundred percent sure that Tobio had just been adopted into the family though.

"Did what?"

"She hit me with a vase. In the head. I fell and cracked my cheekbone on a table next to me but she just kicked me in the stomach and slapped me around. And then she kicked me out."

"Why did she kick you out? It seems like the only who needs to leave is her." Kei snapped. He stiffened and mentally slapped himself when Tobio flinched. Like he needed yet another person to leave him, no matter who it was.

"Because." He said. Kei turned to him, the emotion in Tobio's voice hinting at his need to cry. "Because I'm a stupid, worthless, pathetic fuck up."

It was one thing, Kei thought, for on outside party to call Tobio that. Another one completely when his own mother was the one saying it and another one _completely when Tobio was saying it_. Kei wrapped an arm around his shoulder and pulled him into his side.

"No you're not."

Kei would never know how much those three words affected Tobio.

Tobio pulled away from Kei and discreetly wiped at his eyes. "We should go to sleep. I'm tired."

Kei nodded and got up to turn off his bedroom light.

"What side do you want?" Tobio asked. Kei thought about it. He usually slept on the inside but he had a feeling that Tobio would be an inside person too. Though for completely different reasons than he was.

"I'll take the outside. That's where I usually sleep." He said, flicking off the light. They got into bed and shuffled around into comfortable positions, back to back, Kei was certain he'd wake up before Tobio like this so he'd at least have time for a shower. Tobio looked exhausted as it was, he probably wouldn't wake up until midday.

#

Tobio tossed over in his sleep, flailing and muttering into the pillow. His knee shoved up into Kei's back and almost shoved him off the bed if it weren't for him jerking backwards as he woke up, the sudden drop he'd woken up to jolting his senses. He backed up onto Tobio, his palm pressed down on his stomach and Tobio cried out in his sleep. Kei jumped away as far as he could without falling off the bed but leaned back in when he realised Tobio was having a nightmare.

He sighed and rubbed at his eyes only to find he'd forgotten to take off his glasses before he'd gone to sleep and now he'd put fingerprints on the lenses. He felt a flash of anger at his fingerprints for existing, little greasy bastards putting marks all over his vision. He tore them off and dropped them on the bedside table behind him before he sunk back under his dooner and caught Tobio's hand before it could smack him in the throat.

"Wake up Tobio, it's just a nightmare." He said. He didn't want to wake anyone, but Tobio stayed in his own personal brand of hell.

"Tobio." Kei shook him.

"Tobio!" Kei blocked Tobio from kneeing him in the balls and cringed at the setters frozen feet.

"Sorry." Kei reached over Tobio and flicked his cheek. Tobio woke with a stifled whimper on his lips and Kei felt a stab of guilt through his heart.

"Sorry, sorry. But you were thrashing around during your nightmare." Kei murmured, dropping Tobio's hand and snuggling under his dooner till his was comfortable. Tobio muttered his thanks and closed his eyes, the frown between his eyebrows said he wasn't going back to sleep anytime soon though.

"Turn over." Kei said. Tobio's eyes opened and Kei saw how confused he was by the request.

"Why?" He asked.

"Just turn over." Kei insisted. "I won't hurt you again, I promise."

Tobio hummed disapprovingly but complied and turned his back on Kei. Kei smiled behind him and shuffled closer, he dug an arm under Tobio and draped his other over the top of Tobio's body. He stiffened in Kei's arms but said nothing until Kei had pulled him closer, his back touched Kei's chest as Kei's arms wound around him and held him securely in their grasp.

"My brother used to do this whenever I had a nightmare when I was a kid. Go to sleep." Kei muttered in Tobio's ear. "You'll be fine."

Kei was asleep within minutes. That much Tobio was certain of. He wasn't sure just how much longer he stayed awake; revelling in this feeling Kei had given him. This warm, strong feeling. He felt safe wrapped in the arms of Tsukishima Kei.

 _(End Note: Day 6 of 2015's Tsukkikage week)_


	7. Chapter 7

His birthday had once again passed by without notice to those around him. His parents had been gone before he woke up as usual, not even a note to say hello. Hinata had greeted him just like he usually did before they set off for the gym at a sprint; one Kageyama just wasn't into that morning. Morning practice went as it normally did until he and Hinata got in an argument over Tobio not setting properly and they didn't speak for the rest of the day.

He was told to leave the gym to cool down before the end of practice had come by Daichi, who stared Tobio down when he went to argue, annoyance in his eyes.

Tobio hadn't returned to the gym until after school.

Classes had run as they normally did though he paid more attention during his lessons, shocking his teachers but they let him be regardless and he skipped his last class of the day. Sure that nobody would be sent looking for him.

He was right.

Afternoon practice was tense. Tobio and Hinata were kept apart as much as possible and whilst everyone else participated in group practice, Kageyama wondered off to a corner of the gym to spike against the wall. Nobody pulled him back onto the team.

Tobio asked to stay behind to practice his serves once everyone was given their final time out before they cleaned up. Daichi handed him the keys and they all left together. Tobio didn't watch them go, he just wondered how long he could practice for before he had to clean the gym by himself so he could get home at a reasonable hour.

It was well past seven when he finally left for the night.

Kageyama stopped in front of Ukai's store. He was starving. He looked at the store doors and considered his options, he could go in and bother Ukai-san when he was closing up or he could tough it out and eat a sandwich for dinner when he got home. He turned away from the store as the electronic doors slid open.

"Oi Kageyama."

He looked behind him, shocked to see Tsukishima standing in front of the shop with a bag clutched in one hand. He held up a finger, telling Tobio to wait, and rummaged through the bag with a frown on his face. Tsukishima looked up at Tobio, threw him a warm meat bun and walked past him in the direction of his home.

"Happy birthday King."

Kageyama couldn't help the smile that adorned his features as he stared in shock at the meat bun in his hand, then up at Tsukishima's back. The gesture was small from Tsukishima but with nothing to show from the rest of the team or his parents he felt a large swell of happiness at the sentiment. The present wouldn't last long physically but he would remember it forever.


End file.
